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Cleaning Your Stuff
#11
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
(04-02-2014, 10:31 AM)PaytonA Wrote: I am curious. I hear a lot of soaking going on. The info that came with my ResMed Mirage Quattro said to wash the mask in warm water but warned not to soak it. My old F&P zest mask said to soak in warm water for not more than 15 minutes. Anyone have any idea why these recommendations are the way they are?

Best Regards,

PaytonA

That is very interesting. I just looked at a picture of it and it looks like it might have areas that the water might get into, if submerged, that might not be too easy to dry, but other than that it looks like it is made of the same materials as most other masks. That might be a question for your DME.
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#12
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
(04-01-2014, 07:15 PM)big1dog Wrote: Please what is a good solution to clean the mask, hoses, humidifier with?
Also, how often?
Thanks

I usually soak in a bit of warm water with a few drops of dish soap. I then rinse everything, then rinse it again!

About once a month I will sanitize it with Sanitizer Rinse (Disinfectant, Sanitizer, Fungicide, Virucide made for the Dairy, food handling, restaurant industries.) I get it at Smart & Final and it is way cheaper than most other sanitizers. I let everything soak for about 5 minutes or so (after washing and rinsing), then I rinse twice more (the smell is a bit strong) and hang up to air dry. So far I have no issues with this product on my mask parts, even the soft "membrane" type parts. It is made for things like ice machine and bar glasses with no rinsing required (yeah, right) so in theory it won't harm you. I'm still alive and I use it in my kitchen all the time!
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#13
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
My car gets washed every time it rains. I seldom remeber to put my PAP stuff out when its raining.
I expect the mask and hose to be clean when I open the sealed packaging. When I get the next new one I don't worry about the old one.
I use Reverse Osmosis water in the tank, which is usually empty in the morning.
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#14
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
(04-02-2014, 12:26 PM)bwexler Wrote: My car gets washed every time it rains. I seldom remeber to put my PAP stuff out when its raining.
I expect the mask and hose to be clean when I open the sealed packaging. When I get the next new one I don't worry about the old one.
I use Reverse Osmosis water in the tank, which is usually empty in the morning.

I hope that's sarcasm -- really need to be washing the tank, hose, mask regularly. I'd even wash the new supplies (new out of the package) before using. And change the CPAP filter on the recommended schedule as well.

As for me, I use CPAP wipes on the mask every morning -- mask goes into a drawer until ready to use at night. New distilled water goes into the tank every night. Weekly: I wash tank, hose, & mask with soap and water (no soaking for me).
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#15
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
I have been thinking about the "distilled water" thing.

This is something that I don't do simply because a) it would be a nuisance and b) there doesn't seem much way for it to matter.

Looking at the S9 Autofit, the plastic container where the water goes, and where most anything left after evaporation would end up is easily washable.

There are no active mechanical portions of the machine downstream of the water tank.

The are no places where the water would touch the machine downstream at all, and the only place the vapor in the air would come into contact is at the fitting to the hose.

This area would be easy to clean also if there were any condensate build up.

The hose is washable, but more importantly, easily replaced.

Has anyone out there FAILED to use distilled water AND had a problem due to that at some point?
Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#16
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
Ever since I started the daily routine of emptying, rinsing, and leaving the tank out to dry I find that I no longer get a build up of residue in the bottom. I just wash it with soap and water once a week or so and this tank seems to be lasting forever!
Sleepster

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#17
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
I use distilled water only, at a buck a gallon it isn't even issue for me. I empty the humidifier tank every morning and get the last drops out, then leave to dry. Every week or so I clean the hose and mask, may use a few wipes in between. I also have a string with a small weight on it that I can drop through the tube then pull a wipe through or dry paper towel to help dry out. Also have a hose brush, because like washing your car some things don't soak or rinse clean but a little mechanical scrub goes a long way.
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#18
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
Nope, don't dump it either.

Everything now and then, I pop it open and wash it out.
Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#19
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
(04-02-2014, 09:32 PM)herbm Wrote: I have been thinking about the "distilled water" thing.

This is something that I don't do simply because a) it would be a nuisance and b) there doesn't seem much way for it to matter.

Looking at the S9 Autofit, the plastic container where the water goes, and where most anything left after evaporation would end up is easily washable.

There are no active mechanical portions of the machine downstream of the water tank.

The are no places where the water would touch the machine downstream at all, and the only place the vapor in the air would come into contact is at the fitting to the hose.

This area would be easy to clean also if there were any condensate build up.

The hose is washable, but more importantly, easily replaced.

Has anyone out there FAILED to use distilled water AND had a problem due to that at some point?

I'm a water guy. I run a water district charged with providing pure, safe drinking water to our 300 customers. We spend about $4,000.00 per year to make sure the water is as safe and pure as we want it to be. But even at that, I'm not sure I'd want to breath in the contaminants that could become airborne through the humidifier. Drinking it is fine. It tastes good, and it is good. As a matter of fact I believe our water is far, far better than the average municipal water system. But I read the test reports showing what percentages of several hundred different contaminants can and often are in "safe" drinking water.

I think I'll keep using distilled water.



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#20
RE: Cleaning Your Stuff
You do realize that when you evaporated it you are basically getting a distillation, right?

That is how water is distilled: It is evaporated.

The junk -- if any -- left in the reservoir is the stuff that was in the water.

I am still looking for anyone who has an ACTUAL EXPERIENTIAL reason for using distilled water.


Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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